SAVING LIVES WITH

SAFE STREETS
Vision Zero Traffic Crash Report 2021

visionzeroportland.com January 2022

Portland Traffic Crash Report (2021)
In 2021, 63 people died in traffic crashes
in Portland, the highest number of traffic
deaths in any year since 1990.
Some of these deaths feel hauntingly familiar,
as they follow patterns and trends from
before the pandemic. Others feel different
because the Covid-19 pandemic, and its
tremendous impact on American life, is also a
contributing factor to the rise in traffic deaths.
This is a new and unexpected circumstance
requiring our focus and attention.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation
(PBOT) and its Vision Zero program aims to
eliminate both traffic deaths and serious
injuries in the city.
In Figure 1 (below) we’ve summarized
traffic deaths by travel mode in the last five
years. Figure 2 provides the most recent
data available on traffic deaths and serious
injuries. Figure 3 shows the traffic death
rate in Portland relative to the U.S. rate
since 1990.
A “serious injury” is defined by the Oregon
Department of Transportation (ODOT) as
“a non-fatal injury that prevents the injured
person from walking, driving, or normally
continuing the activities the person was
capable of performing before the injury
occurred.”
Finalized data from 2017-2019 was provided
by ODOT. Preliminary data for 2020-2021
comes from the Portland Police Bureau. No
data is available yet on serious injuries from
2020-2021.

Traffic
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deaths in Portland by
travel option, 2017-2021
60
Traffic deaths

40

20

0
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Year
People People on People in
Pedestrians Total deaths
on Bikes Motorcycles motor vehicles

Figure 1: Portland traffic deaths by travel option, 2017-2021

Data: Portland Police Bureau (2020-2021), ODOT (2017-2019)

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Latest data for traffic deaths and serious
injuries in Portland by travel option
Deaths Serious injuries
2019 2020 2021 2017 2018 2019
Pedestrians* 17 18 27 49 32 35
People in motor vehicles
22 23 27 189 150 201
(including passengers)
People on bikes 1 5 0 12 15 8
People on motorcycles 9 8 9 37 44 43
People on transit 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 49 54 63 287 241 287
Figure 2: Recent traffic deaths and serious injuries, by year
Data: Portland Police Bureau (2020-2021), ODOT (2017-2019)
*Includes people walking, using mobility devices, riding skateboards, and e-scooters.

Traffic death rates in Portland

relative to U.S., 1990-2021
20 U.S
17.8
Portland
Traffic deaths per 100,000 people

14.8
15
12.9 12.8
10.6
10 8.9

5.1
4.4
5

0
1990 2000 2010 2021*
*Data through
November
Year
Figure 3: Traffic deaths per 100,000 people in the U.S. and Portland, 1990-2020
Traffic deaths have increased nationwide and in Portland since 2010. National data for
2021 is available only through November.

Data: U.S. Census population estimates for 2020; National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and National Safety Council; Portland Police Bureau (2020-2021)
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High Crash Network Streets and Intersections
Sixty percent of deadly crashes in 2021
occurred on eight percent of streets
in Portland. The High Crash Network
comprises the 30 deadliest streets and
intersections, based on crash data.
Equity Matrix score higher than 7, which
indicate locations with relatively high
proportions of individuals with these
characteristics based on 2012-2016 American
Community Survey 5-year estimates.

“Low-income communities and communities More on the Equity Matrix can be found at:
of color” refers to locations with an PBOT What is the PBOT Equity Matrix?

Figure 4: High crash streets and intersections in Portland

An interactive map of this network and crashes is available at map.visionzeroportland.com.

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People who died in traffic crashes
in Portland in 2021

Figure 5: People who died in traffic crashes in Portland in 2021

The first names of traffic death victims and approximate location where these 63 deaths occurred
on Portland streets. The 63 deaths illustrated here are based on preliminary data and subject
to change. In addition to the names here, nine others died in crashes which are excluded under
national reporting criteria. See “How crash data works” below for details.

Data: Portland Police Bureau

The table below has detailed information on the 63 people who died in traffic crashes in
Portland in 2021 as well as nine others who died under circumstances excluded from our
reporting criteria. Median age of traffic deaths in 2021 was 43 and ranged from 18-93. Of these
deaths, 44 were male, 19 female. Additionally, 32 traffic deaths occurred on state-owned roads,
including 12 on freeways.

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Date Name Age Travel type Approximate crash location
1/1 Daniel Martinez-Vidals 19 Motor Vehicle SE Division St & 112th Ave
1/9 Andrew Lucero 49 Pedestrian N Denver Ave at Columbia Blvd
1/10 Charisa White 45 Motor Vehicle SE Powell Blvd & 108th Ave
1/24 Eddie Larson 48 Motor Vehicle 7000 block of NE Marine Dr
1/28 Charles Patton 43 Motor Vehicle N Columbia Blvd & Vancouver St
2/6 Joshua Stanley 34 Pedestrian SE McLoughlin Blvd at Franklin St
2/6 Karen McClure 60 Pedestrian SE Stark St & 136th Ave
2/7 Douglas Rosling II 40 Motor Vehicle 2700 block of NW Yeon St
2/8 Kenna Butchek 35 Motor Vehicle 5000 block of N Columbia Blvd
2/14 Antonio Amaro-Lopez 57 Motor Vehicle Southbound I-205, Glenn Jackson Bridge
2/28 Jose Contreras 22 Motor Vehicle SW Barbur Blvd & Hooker St
3/8 Morise Smith 21 Motor Vehicle Northbound I-205, Glenn Jackson Bridge
3/8 Cecilia Hao 70 Motor Vehicle Northbound I-205, Glenn Jackson Bridge
3/25 Inna Bosovik 36 Motor Vehicle Eastbound I-84 near 82nd Ave
3/25 Susan Sturdavant 65 Motor Vehicle Eastbound I-84 near 82nd Ave
3/31 Kfir Hen 47 Motorcycle SE Barbara Welch Rd near 144th Ave
4/10 Stephen Looser 66 Pedestrian NE 82nd Ave & Alberta St
4/11 Faustino Jurado 47 Pedestrian NE 122nd Ave & Halsey St
4/17 John Thomas 58 Motor Vehicle Northbound I-5 at N Greely Ave
4/17 Roy Yotty 57 Motor Vehicle Northbound I-5 at N Greely Ave
4/19 Eddy Kolb 23 Motorcycle N Marine Dr near Bybee Lake Rd
4/24 Anthony Tolliver 30 Pedestrian NE 82nd Ave & Alberta St
4/29 Jamie Pallviny-Brown 43 Motor Vehicle 5100 block NE Cornfoot Rd
5/6 David Dentler 25 Motor Vehicle NE Killingsworth St & Sandy Blvd
5/8 Meagann McComb 32 Pedestrian NE Sandy Blvd & 149th Ave
6/14 Natalie Gray 20 Pedestrian NE Marine Dr & 13th Ave
6/27 Jeremy Hudson 46 Motor Vehicle NE Halsey St & 148th Ave
6/30 Delbert Downing 51 Motor Vehicle NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd & Columbia Blvd
7/1 Michael Gazeley-Romney 31 Motorcycle NE Sandy Blvd & 162nd Ave
7/2 Joseph Samuel Teach 47 Motorcycle SE Foster Rd & 102nd Ave
7/5 Michael Bute 34 Pedestrian 10000 block of NE 33rd Ave
7/5 Kim Chung 69 Motor Vehicle SE Powell Blvd & 143rd Ave
7/31 Edgar Pizano 30 Motor Vehicle NW Glisan St & 14th Ave
8/4 Alice Turowski 93 Motor Vehicle NE Fremont St & 7th Ave
8/10 Kevin Ford 48 Pedestrian NE Broadway St & 33rd Ave
8/19 Charles Engblom 44 Motorcycle Eastbound I-84 near NE 28th Ave
8/22 William Anderson 48 Motorcycle SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd & Clay St
8/24 Bonnie Culver 38 Motorcycle NE 185th Ave & Portal Way
8/28 Knysha Latreace Wesley 24 Motor Vehicle 7900 block of NE Marine Dr
8/28 Gregory James Beuving 50 Motor Vehicle 7900 block of NE Marine Dr

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 Date Name Age Travel type Approximate crash location
9/2 Joseph Jay Reilly 35 Pedestrian SE McLoughlin Blvd & Holgate Blvd
9/4 Samuel Gene Hambrick 34 Pedestrian NW St Helens Rd & 63rd Ave
9/9 Douglas Allen Mooney 59 Motorcycle NE 82nd Ave & Alderwood St
9/11 Austin Boyd 23 Pedestrian SE César E. Chávez Blvd & Clinton St
9/20 Tai David Ung 29 Pedestrian Eastbound I-84 near NE 28th Ave
9/29 Aaron Appleby 29 Pedestrian 2600 block of N Marine Dr
10/1 David Randy Lee 65 Pedestrian 5300 block of NE Lombard St
10/1 Ryan Dickenson 34 Pedestrian SE Powell Blvd & 29th Ave
10/20 Ruby Lee Allen 66 Pedestrian 5300 NW Yeon Ave
10/23 Collin Page 18 Motorcycle SE Holgate Blvd & 97th Ave
10/30 Tralee Ariel McClain 21 Pedestrian 2800 block of SE Powell Blvd
11/5 Laurie Lawyer 56 Pedestrian N Going St & Interstate Ave
11/12 Carrie Lynn Simons 37 Pedestrian Westbound I-84 at NE 122nd Ave
11/15 Jose Romero-Ramirez 52 Pedestrian 300 block of NW 23rd Ave
11/18 Keith Poppert 61 Motor Vehicle Northbound I-5 near Fremont Bridge
11/20 Robert Joseph Leon 45 Pedestrian SE 122nd Ave & Tibbetts St
11/24 Seksy Antonio 46 Pedestrian 128000 block of NE Marine Dr
11/24 Corine Buck 46 Motor Vehicle N Martin Luther King Jr Blvd & Gertz Rd
12/5 Terrence Tombe 27 Pedestrian Northbound I-205 offramp at SE Powell Blvd
12/16 Jessie Ugelstad 27 Motor Vehicle N Lombard St & Chautauqua Blvd
12/16 Steven Alcorn Jr 36 Motor Vehicle N Lombard St & Chautauqua Blvd
12/21 Vivian Gayle Phillips 70 Pedestrian NE Fremont St & 43rd Ave
12/25 Jaimie Smith 23 Pedestrian N Interstate Ave & Mississippi Ave

1/8* Jesse Strother 73 Motor Vehicle SE Powell Blvd & 24th Ave
1/15* Elizabeth Hawes 58 Pedestrian I-205 at NE Halsey St overpass
1/20* Mark Auclair 64 Motor Vehicle NW Nicolai St & 25th Pl
1/25* Jean Gerich 77 Pedestrian SE Stark St & 19th Ave
3/19* ** ** Pedestrian N Crawford St & Philadelphia Ave
6/5* John Rutherford 49 Pedestrian MAX tracks near NE 68th Ave
8/3* ** ** Pedestrian Toyota Distribution Center, NE
11/21* Neri Ramirez-Mendoza 20 Pedestrian Parking lot, 4400 block of NE 122nd Ave
12/5* ** ** Motor Vehicle NE Lombard St & 45th Ave

*Deaths which are excluded from Portland Vision Zero annual reporting. Factors that exclude these
include: deaths that occurred in a parking lot, non-traffic collisions, or acts of suicide. See the next
section on “How crash data works” for a full description of traffic death reporting criteria.

**Information unavailable.

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Portland traffic deaths, 2011-2021
30
20
Traffic deaths
10
2011 2016
Year
Figure 6. Portland traffic deaths, 2011-2021
Data: ODOT (2011-2019), Portland Police Bureau (2020-2021)
Portland deadly crash patterns and trends
Since the launch of PBOT’s Vision Zero
program in 2015, some trends have endured.
Others are more recent and coincide with
the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The number
of traffic deaths in Portland in 2021 was the
highest in 30 years.
What were the persistent trends we saw
in 2021? Most were related to deaths on
the High Crash Network, as well as crashes
involving pedestrians and people on bicycles:
• In 2021, 60% of traffic deaths occurred
on Portland’s High Crash Network,
the 8% of Portland streets that account
for most deadly crashes (see Figure 4
above). This mirrors the trend for 2017-
2020 which saw an average of 60% of
deadly crashes occurring on the High
Crash Network. The range over that time
2021
period was 55-67%.
• In 2021, pedestrians made up 43% of
traffic deaths, which was slightly above
the average of 38% for 2017-2020. There
was also a dramatic increase in the
number of pedestrians who died, from
an annual average of 17 for 2017-2020
and 27 in 2021.
• From 2017-2020 there were 10 deaths of
people biking, ranging from 1-5 per year.
No one died bicycling in Portland in 2021.
• Speed and impairment continue to be
dangerous contributing factors in deadly
crashes in Portland. (More information is
provided below.)
• Black and Latinx community members
continue to be over-represented in
traffic deaths. (More information is
provided below.)
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In addition to the tragic and dramatic
increase in traffic deaths in 2021, what other
trends have we seen more recently?
We saw more crashes that killed pedestrians
on industrial land and open space, more
deaths of the houseless, more crashes on
state facilities (including wrong-way crashes
on interstates), and more hit-and-runs:
• The highest death toll on Portland
streets in three decades: 63. The
average over 2017-2020 was 46 traffic
deaths per year, ranging from 35 in 2018
to 54 in 2020.
• Seventy percent (or 19 out of 27) of
pedestrian deaths were houseless
community members; and 33 percent
(21 out of 63) of all traffic deaths were
houseless community members. PBOT
has not tracked the housing status of
victims in the past, but these numbers
in 2021 stood out and represent an
alarming pattern we’ll track more closely
in the future.
• There were 32 traffic deaths (51%) on
state highways in Portland, including 12
on interstates, compared with an annual
average of 17 traffic deaths annually
(36%) on all state facilities 2017-2020.
• In 2021, 12 pedestrians died in areas
zoned for industrial land or open space,
compared with fewer than four on
average 2017-2020.
• Deaths from hit-and-run crashes more
than doubled, with 14 people killed in
2021, compared to an average of 6.3.
Nearly all of these deaths, 13 out of 14,
were pedestrians.
• Three crashes that killed a total of
six people in 2021 involved vehicles
traveling the wrong way on interstate
freeways, which is higher than an
average of one or two wrong way-driving
traffic deaths per year.
Speed and impairment continue to be
dangerous contributing factors in deadly
crashes in Portland. However, data is limited
here because of the high number of hit-and-
runs as well as some fatal crashes still under
investigation.
According to the World Health Organization
(WHO), when average speeds increase 1%,
the risk of fatal crashes goes up by 4% and
the risk of serious crashes rises by 3%. This
is why they recommend urban speed limits
should not exceed 50 km/h (approximately
30 mph). But as we know, many streets
in Portland have speed limits at or above
30 mph, both on and off the High Crash
Network. This year, 49 people (78%) died in
crashes on roadways with posted speeds
higher than 30 mph.
Race and ethnicity information is known
for all 63 people who died in traffic crashes
in 2021. This year, 17 of these fatalities were
identified as Black, Indigenous, or people of
color (BIPOC). This accounts for 27% of traffic
deaths, slightly lower than city demographics,
where approximately 29.4% of residents
identify as any race other than white alone or
non-Hispanic/Latinx (2019 Census American
Community Survey estimates).
However, Portland’s Black and Latinx
communities were over-represented in
these fatalities. Six people killed in traffic
crashes were Black. This accounts for
9.5% of 2021 traffic fatalities, compared
with the Black population of Portland
which is currently 5.8%. The current
Latinx population is 9.7%, but seven
people—11.1%—who died in traffic crashes
were identified as Latinx.
A majority of traffic deaths (76%) occurred
in areas of Portland with high Equity Matrix
scores (shown in the map on page 3).
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Fatal crash trends
nationally
Portland is not alone in seeing a dramatic
increase in traffic deaths in 2021.
Full year figures are not available yet, but
already traffic deaths increased 18.4%
nationally during the first half of 2021
compared to the first half of 2020. These
numbers represent the highest number
of traffic deaths in the first half of the year
since 2006. It also the sharpest increase
in any six-month period since the Fatal
Analysis Reporting System (FARS) began
recording data. From April to June 2021,
approximately 11,225 people died in traffic
crashes in the U.S., the highest number of
fatalities during these months since 1990.
A similar trend is playing out in Oregon.
Nearly 600 people have died statewide in
traffic crashes according to preliminary
data. That is a 15% increase from 2020 and
the most traffic fatalities since 1989.
If you have questions about the data in this report, or how traffic
deaths are tracked and reported, please contact Anamaría Pérez
with our Vision Zero team at 503-823-3243 or anamaria.perez@
portlandoregon.gov. For media inquiries, contact Dylan Rivera
at 503-823-3723 (office), 503-577-7534 (cell), or dylan.rivera@
portlandoregon.gov.
Portland’s response
The Portland Bureau of Transportation
(PBOT) remains committed to installing
proven safety treatments and expanding
our partnerships to address complex new
deadly traffic crash patterns. We follow a
data-driven, equity-first approach. We make
streets safer by protecting pedestrians,
slowing speeds, redesigning streets, all
while engaging community in this work.
We know that 60% of traffic deaths in the
last five years occurred on streets in the
High Crash Network. We continue to work
with urgency to change the design of these
streets in a way that slows travel speeds and
protects pedestrians.
We also understand there is no single
solution. There are a complex set of
social factors that have contributed to
the spike in traffic deaths since the onset
of the pandemic. This includes lack of
shelter, medical care, and social services
for houseless people. PBOT’s Vision Zero
program will expand its partnership
with Multnomah County’s Public Health
Department, the Homelessness Urban Camp
Reduction Program, and other services in
order to collaborate more closely to make
our streets safer for some of Portland’s most
vulnerable community members.
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Appendix A: How crash data works
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) compiles the official crash record for the
state using self-reported information and traffic crash investigations. For deadly crash data,
PBOT also works directly with the Portland Police Bureau (see diagram).

PBOT uses national traffic crash reporting criteria which excludes people who die under the
following circumstances:

• More than 30 days after a crash,

• Intentionally (suicide),
• In an act of homicide (a person intentionally crashes into another person),
• In a crash not involving a motor vehicle,
• From a prior medical event (e.g. a heart attack or drug overdose), or
• In a crash in a parking lot

PBOT excluded nine deaths from crash reporting in 2021 and four deaths in 2020 as a result
of these criteria (see bottom of table above). Deaths are also excluded if a medical examiner
determines that a person died of causes not directly attributable to a traffic crash, such as
suffering a heart attack while driving.

Regardless of reporting criteria, PBOT uses all available data to determine our priorities for
where we make safety improvements.

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